Lawyers & Friends
“Sam, you need to go away. Take a vacation." That was her lawyer. Telling her she needed a break.
Is that the kind of advice lawyers were supposed to give? Sam didn’t think so. Then again, her lawyer just happened to be her best friend, so there was that aspect of this unwelcome advisory session.
The two women sat at the wide-open breakfast bar in Sam's Midtown penthouse suite, sipping herbal tea and munching on an array of luscious fruits.
“I can’t take a break right now, Carla. You know that. This deal is too important for me to abandon. It has to happen. I need it to happen. I’m going to make sure it does.”
“No.” Her friend countered firmly. “I am going to make sure it happens. That's my job."
Carla Everson, the best corporate attorney on the East Coast, maybe in the states, stared at Sam intently from across the table. Sam narrowed her eyes, giving Carla her best “I am the boss” face.
It had absolutely no affect.
“Look," Carla’s tone softened. “I’m your attorney, but I’m also your friend. I’m telling you, you need a break. It’s still early. There’s a ton of work to be done while we start negotiations with Carnelian. Work that I will be doing.” She amended. “Not you.”
Carla reached across the table, grasped Sam’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Sam, you’ve been going hard since the day you were born. These last several years, you’ve worked what? Seventy? Eighty hours a week? You’ve had two vacations since I’ve known you. This whole thing will max out our stress levels soon enough. I need you in top form when all the wheels are turning.”
Carla took a sip of tea and added, “Especially if we’re going to make it happen with everything you want.”
Sam sighed. It was true, she felt like she was twenty-eight going on eighty.
Taking the reins of Covington after her father’s death had been… well, it had been insane. She was fifteen with no way out. She’d worked herself beyond reason to make things go the way they had, the way they were now.
A merger or a buyout had always been her goal, her plan. She just hadn't known it would take so long. She took CSM from the multimillion dollar corporation her father built, and transformed it into a billion-dollar juggernaut.
The company continued to grow with no signs of slowing down. The business world took notice. Other companies often approached them about merging, although they were usually smaller, looking to benefit from CSM’s influence.
Carnelian was different. Carnelian was just as big as Covington, fighting to become the world’s leader in shipping and manufacturing. A merger would cement that role for them.
Sam knew that. Carla knew that. They were not going to just turn over the keys to the kingdom. Sam had some very specific demands that she was certainly not going to budge on.
That’s where Carla and her firm came in. They were the main negotiators and preparers. Sam knew everything would be perfectly on-point on the legal side. All the same, giving up control was so uncomfortable. It was nearly impossible for her to do.
“OK.” She sighed reluctantly. “I'll take a few days, hop over to the Keys for some beach time…” She stopped because Carla was shaking her head, laughing.
“Nope. No, that’s not what’s going to happen.”
Carla pulled an envelope from the jade Jimmy Choo tote that matched her suede heels perfectly. She slid it across the table to Sam.
Sam flicked the top open, and pulled out the contents.
“No!” She shook her head vehemently. “No. I am not going to a dude ranch. Absolutely not, Carla."
She glared at her friend. "You know me better than anyone. I am not an outdoor person… Unless it's a beach. Even then, I have the umbrella and SPF 3000. I don't do dirt, I don't do bugs, and I don’t do nature. I am not you. No. Just no.”
Carla doubled over in laughter.
"Sam. How do you know? You've never been outdoors. You're right, you go to the beach with your umbrella and your SPF, but you've never even tried something different. I think this is such a good idea for you! A new experience in an absolutely stunning location.”
"Carla,” Sam responded. “Just because you and your family have been going there for years, that doesn't mean..."
"Everything's done."
Sam blinked. “What do you mean everything's done?"
"Everything's done.” Carla smacked her palms on the bar’s surface. “Your fees are paid. The jet is scheduled. Maggie and I have gone shopping for dude ranch appropriate clothing. It's all done. All you have to do is get on the plane. Oh, and Sam,” Carla looked at her pointedly. “This isn't negotiable. You want me on this merger, you take this break."
Sam sat back with a groan. She knew her friend was doing this with her very best interests, and Covington’s, in mind. That knowledge did nothing to calm the fire inside her. She had just been bulldozed and she was ready to come out swinging.
Before she could open her mouth, Carla spoke.
"You feel like I’ve bulldozed you just now. I know that. I know you want to fight it because no one bulldozes you and gets away with it. Listen to me, Sam. I need you away so I can focus on the whole picture. I need you to be hands-off for this first part. You're used to being in control, calling the shots, even where most of my work with you is concerned. Most of the time that's okay because you're the best shot-caller I know. This time though, this time, I need to look at everything first. Then, I'll bring you in and we'll work out the kinks. Getting you away is for you and me. OK?"
Sam inhaled deeply.
"I am a teeny-tiny bit controlling. I'll give you that."
Carla raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"OK. I control everything around me with an iron fist. I just don't understand. I mean, really Carla. Shopping for me? How could you do that to me?"
Sam laughed and Carla joined in, looking relieved, despite the earlier show of confidence.
"Ah. I love you like a sister, Sam. We'll take a look at what Mags and I bought and you can change whatever you want. For the record though, I think you may have met your shopping match. Maggie just about broke the AMEX, stocking you up."
Sam laughed. Maggie was Carla's oldest, along with her twin brother Max, the girl could shop like no other. Had good taste too. Sam was sure she would end up being a designer or high-end buyer. For now though, she was a preteen with an adult-sized bank account.
Carla became serious again, took a sip of the herbal tea she'd been nursing.
"Tell me about James and Norman.” She gestured towards her phone. "Nora sent me a message. She's concerned. To tell you the truth, so am I. That’s one reason I want you to go on this little trip - so they don't try to send you on a permanent one."
Sam stamped down the rush of anxiety at the memory of yesterday's confrontation.
"Samantha." Norman began, a contemptuous look in his eyes. He always worked to demean her, to make her position seem beneath his own somehow. She stopped him immediately.
“It's Ms. Covington, Mr. Grey. You've been doing so well recently. I will remind you again though, you and I are not on a first name basis."
She observed him with that cool, level gaze her father had literally beat into her, and continued in a low, steady voice.
"What can I do for you and Mr. Nelonie today?" Sam glanced briefly at the other man as she spoke.
James Nelonie and Norman Grey were two of three shareholders who retained their positions when Sam took the reins of CSM almost thirteen years ago. Now, there were six. Each shareholder owned eight percent of CSM. Sam owned the majority at fifty-two percent. If her father had been a cruel, sadistic bastard, these two were even worse. Were it possible, she would have bought them out and been done with it years ago. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to make that happen, yet.
They were each powerful in their own right and highly connected, so she dealt with them the way her father would have. Coldly, with as much detachment as she could summon, along with an equal measure of wariness. Her father often warned her about these two. He warned her, but he’d been just as power hungry as they were. Together, the trio committed unspeakable acts in the name of business.
Sam was sure the only reason she was still alive, was because both of these men had made more money under her leadership than even they could have imagined. That was one reason she was hell-bent on making her plan successful.
She wanted to destroy them just as much as they wanted to destroy her.
The mental and emotional energy required to top these two was exhausting. Their encounters often left her completely drained.
"Ms. Covington." Norman continued, sounding exactly like the snake he was. "Mr. Nelonie and I have heard some rumors.” He steepled his fingers under his pointy chin. “Some… whispers, if you will. We wanted to come to you first, before making any, how should I say? Plans.”
A shiver went down her spine at the way he said plans. If a single word could carry the weight of a dark threat, he’d made that word do it. She worked hard to keep the blank, detached look on her face.
“If there is any truth to these ... whispers, we need to know how to prepare ourselves. How to ensure the best moves are made for this great company. Your father always kept his shareholders up to date when it came to the company's interests and you've more than filled his shoes.” He gave his own cool smile before continuing. “So, if a move is being made, we are simply requesting that we be apprised of the situation."
Sam just bet he wanted to be apprised, but there was no way he was getting anything out of her. If this thing went the way she hoped it would, CSM would be absorbed and dismantled and there would be nothing these two could do about it. The name of Covington would be swept away like dust in the wind, her father’s legacy reduced to a distant memory.
If she could burn it to the ground, like she had her childhood home, she would have done it. There were other people to think of, good, innocent employees, that she had to make sure were taken care of. Otherwise, in the end, she would be exactly like her father. That was simply unacceptable.
"Ms. Covington." It was James who spoke next. His easy, disarming smile doing nothing for her because she knew exactly what it meant. It was the smile that made you feel safe and comfortable just before the knife sank deep, draining the life from you.
"We simply want the very best outcome for all parties involved. We would hate to see anyone shortchanged. If the rumors we've heard have any merit." He finished with a light, amicable tone to his voice that she knew was anything but.
She kept her voice rock steady, her gaze cool and confident. Her insides heaved with anxiety, but she would never allow them to see it.
“Gentlemen. I’m not sure what you've heard or where you've heard it. I assure you however, if the time comes when I need a discussion with you and the other shareholders, Nora will be sure to get you the details."
Norman's eyes were ice cold as he stood, James following his lead.
"Thank you. Ms. Covington. We won't take up any more of your time."
As the two men walked out, James turned back with that easy smile.
"Be careful, Ms. Covington. It's a jungle out there." Then he winked and was gone.
* * *
Carla just stared at Sam for a moment. Fury and fear fighting for top position at the threat that had been levied on her friend.
“Oh yeah. You're going away for sure."
Carla kept her voice light, but Sam could see the concern in her eyes, the stiffness in her posture.
"I can handle James and Norman. I’ve been doing it for thirteen years."
What Sam wouldn’t admit was that she was working just as hard to keep her own fears at bay. She could protect herself from almost anything, sans a car bomb or a bullet, but it was the people around her that she worried about. The people she allowed herself to care about. Those were the ones who would be in danger when the shit hit the fan.
"That may be.” Carla countered. "But you've never had anything this promising on the table.” She shook her head and continued. “I wish I knew where their 'whispers' were coming from. If somebody's talking, we need to know who it is. That's another reason for you to take a vacation. I can work on this without involving anyone else at CSM."
"I'm concerned about one more thing.” Sam continued.
"What's that?"
"Nora."
Nora had been Sam's assistant for six years. She was brilliant the brilliant organizer of everything that was Samantha Covington's business life. She was also one of the sweetest, most kindhearted women Sam had ever met. The thought of anything happening to Nora or her eight year-old daughter made Sam physically ill.
"Nora and Chelsea. We need to arrange something for them. Get some security on them. Can you have Cameron do that?"
Carla nodded. "Yeah, I can get him on it. Maybe we could send them for a trip too? Chelsea's never been to Disneyland. We could send them down to Florida for a couple of weeks while you go to Colorado."
Sam rolled her eyes. “So they get to go to warm, sunny Florida, while I go to cold Colorado. Nice."
Carla laughed at her. “It'll be an adventure for you. Furthermore,” She waggled her eyebrows. “You'll be surrounded by super-hot cowboys. That's not a bad trade off."
Sam was most definitely not convinced this was a good idea, but Carla did have a point. If she had to get dirty, at least she could enjoy the view.